Sub-Sahara African countries are facing a huge danger of invasive species

The study puts the blame on first world nations, saying that they could be more responsible in how the pests are spread.

By Paul Pate |
Aug 14, 2016

A new study shows that invasive species continue to threaten the balance of the ecosystems around the world, with sub-Saharan Africa being the most vulnerable. The study puts the blame on first world nations, saying that they could be more responsible in how the pests are spread.

A group of researchers at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) in Australia examined the distribution of approximately 1300 varying kinds of invasive species. They wanted to see the impact the pathogens and pests have on the flow of trade and the agricultural production of various countries around the world.

"By identifying the countries and regions that are most vulnerable, governments can make informed decisions on the deployment of resources to protect their borders and agricultural industries," said Dr. Dean Paini, head of the team.

They discovered that developing countries south of the Sahara are at more risk of experiencing massive losses if these pests spread to their territories. In a discovery that was hardly surprising, the scientists came up with the conclusion that countries such as China and the United States are the greatest threat to weaker countries in as far as pests are concerned.

This is due to the fact that these two nations have the biggest industries that deal with the export of agricultural inputs and produce, and have widespread networks of trade partners. They also have an alarmingly large number of invasive species.

However, China and the United States have the advantage of having solid structures and policies to deal with the potential damage by these invasive species.

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